“Spill the bean. What’s going on?” Michael asked, clearly confused.
Clara cut to the chase. “You’ve had poison in your system for over a decade. The medicines you’re on just cover up the symptoms for now; they don’t actually fix the problem. Even if you manage to get up, it won’t last. Am I right?”
Her accurate assessment piqued Michael’s interest. “Can you actually fix me?” he asked.
Clara nodded firmly and explained, “I’ve got a detox prescription, but since the poison has been around for so long, you’ll need regular acupuncture to get rid of it fully. Are you game?”
Despite her detailed explanation, Michael stayed doubtful. He challenged, “Why should I believe you?”
Clara’s tone softened as she answered, “Because I’m proposing a deal. I’ll fix you, and in return, you help me reclaim Bennett Enterprise. If you’re unsure, you can have the prescription verified by a trusted traditional medicine expert.”
With that, Clara jotted down the prescription. When she was about to hand it over, Michael suddenly pulled her close and tucked them behind the door.
“What’s happening?!” Clara asked, startled by his sudden move.
Without a word, Michael pointed to a crack in the door. A thin tube was sticking through, letting out white smoke slowly filling the room. Clara quickly covered her nose and murmured, “Oh, it’s Charm Smoke.”
Michael stayed composed like it was a normal occurrence. He let Clara go and moved to the bedside, where he picked up the phone. Then he played a sound clip filled with luring moans, heavy breathing, and a bed’s rhythmic creaking. Clara got the gist, even if she didn’t fully understand what was happening.
Despite the situation, Michael’s face was so relaxed that it almost looked like he was listening to some relaxing tunes.
Meanwhile, Clara took a quick look at his phone and realized it wasn’t just a sound clip—it was a full-on steamy movie. She was taken aback and thought, Wow, he’s really into this!
A minute later, she heard footsteps approaching the door. An old man’s laugh rang out, followed by, “Haha! Just from the sound, it’s clear Michael is a fan of those wooden mannequins.”
The mention of “wooden mannequins” made Clara tremble. Turning to Michael, who had already got up, Clara swiftly declared, “Let’s get this straight. This marriage is just for show. You get healthy, I get my revenge, and then we’re done.”
Michael knew she had misinterpreted the old man’s comment, but he didn’t correct her since he also needed a marriage of convenience. He took the prescription and went into another room.
The following day, Clara returned to the Bennett Residence on her own. Michael didn’t join her; instead, he sent his assistant, Eric Chandler, to follow her discreetly. Michael still didn’t fully trust Clara and decided to monitor her for a bit longer.
Clara’s reason for returning was her curiosity about the heirloom Dylan had mentioned. She thought, I overheard something about a foundation that night. Since Dad passed away when I was only nine, I have no clue what kind of foundation he might have left me. I need to find out.
Entering the living room, Clara noticed that Dylan was absent. She approached Emily, who was busy in the kitchen, and asked, “Auntie Emily, where’s Uncle Dylan?”
Noting that Clara had come alone, Emily responded with a faint smile, “He went to the airport this morning to pick up a client. He should be back later today. Why don’t you have some tea while you wait?”
Emily then handed Clara a delicate white porcelain cup filled with tea leaves—high-quality chamomile tea.
Still, Clara’s keen nose picked up a subtle herbal aroma. She accepted the tea but didn’t drink it immediately. “Is Emma out too?” she asked.
Emily answered, “Emma’s in her room.”
“I’ll go see her,” Clara stated, setting the cup down.
“Have the tea before you go upstairs. It won’t be as nice if it gets cold,” Emily insisted, placing the cup back in Clara’s hands.
Suspecting something might be added to the tea, Clara grew more cautious with Emily’s insistence. To turn the situation to her advantage, she decided to play along.
Clara poured a cup for Emily and suggested, “Auntie Emily, I didn’t get a chance to toast you yesterday. Why don’t we have a toast with this tea today?”
Emily was briefly surprised but quickly recovered and smiled when she realized that Clara’s cup was the one she had tampered with. They both lifted their cups and drank.
Emily’s excitement was clear as she watched Clara finish her tea. Her face tightened, and her makeup began to flake. What Emily didn’t realize was that Clara had quietly swapped their cups while pouring.
Just then, she nudged Clara toward the staircase and urged, “Quickly call Emma. I’ve baked some cakes for you to snack on.”
When Clara got to Emma’s room, she didn’t rush in. Instead, she peeked through the door and saw an old man inside. With his bald spot, round stomach, and saggy pants, he looked pretty lecherous and seemed poised to pounce as soon as a girl entered.
Clara quickly put two and two together about the tea Emily had given her. She contemplated, Hmph! Pretty ruthless, huh? You not only forced me into a contractual marriage but now set me up on my return!
A sly grin spread across Clara’s face. Once the old man popped a few pills, she called Emily and cried out, “Auntie Emily, there’s a guy in Emma’s room who’s been staring at me. I’m really freaked out.”
“Oh, that’s Emma’s cousin. Don’t worry, I’m on my way up,” Emily replied, hanging up. She then pulled out a camera she had stashed away.
Emily wasn’t ready to give up on the foundation. Since William Harris, an investor in Bennett Enterprise, had shown interest in Clara yesterday, she saw a chance to secure an investment and use compromising photos to blackmail Clara.
Just as Emily prepared to sneak in and snap the photos, a chubby hand suddenly yanked her into the room. The Love Potion began to take effect, making her face flush. As she looked at William’s bulky figure, she started imagining her husband, Dylan.
William originally thought Emily was Clara but quickly realized his mistake. He accused, “Why are you here?!”
“If not me, then who?” Emily replied. In her dazed state, she began unbuttoning her shirt and slowly revealing her curves.
Before her marriage, Emily was a famous model with a striking face and a killer figure. Despite being over forty, she still looked youthful from her modelling days. Her intense gaze sent a jolt of desire through William.
“We haven’t been together in ages,” Emily purred, her voice full of longing. The drug made her even more alluring. Before William could fully undress, Emily threw herself at him.
William hesitated at first but couldn’t resist pulling her close once he felt Emily’s soft body. They soon found themselves in a passionate embrace.